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Thursday, December 3, 2009

The Lone Star State's Soul Brother, North Carolina

FLAG OF TEXAS

Texans are very proud of their state flag! And they should be it is quite striking and beautiful. Every visitor to Texas will become aware of this flag. It is distinguished, abstract, and bold...just like Texas. However it is not unique. There is another state flag which strikingly mirrors the flag of Texas, North Carolina. But for the record Texas's flag came first.

FLAG OF NORTH CAROLINA

The major difference is where the red and white panels are placed. The red panels coincidentally reflect their wars of independence. North Carolina fought the British-Canada in 1776 for independence from the North and the upper panel is red & up on map usually represents north. Texas's red panel is on the bottom and she fought for independence against Mexico to the south & down on a map typically represents south. So the position of the red panel, is directed to where they shed blood for independence.

Historically both states were witness to the age of Pirates! North Carlina's outer banks was famously a secret base for Black Beard, while wild Galveston, Texas was one of the biggest Pirate Ports until the United States shut it down.

North Carolina was witness to America's first fledgling flight in 1903 at Kitty Hawk where some clever Yankee Ohio Brothers designed some kind of diddly doo'dah flying contraption. On the other hand Texas was first witness to the mastery of American flight when, once again a clever Yankee Ohio Man did some fancy dancy moon walking in 1969. After the lunar module landed on the moon the first intended message was broadcast to Houston, Texas and it was said, "HOUSTON, Tranquility Base Here the Eagle has landed."

Nobody knows what the Wright Bros. said when they became the first in flight at a North Carolina Beach. But here is an oddly interesting cosmic coincidence, worthy of an X-Files Episode. The geographic position of Kitty Hawk, North Carolina is special. Kitty Hawk is directly aligned with the opening of the Mediterranean Sea at the straights of Gibraltar, in between Spain and Morocco.

Why is this special? Forgive me if you already know. The Mediterranean Sea is at the focal point for humanity. On her North Shore is Europe, on her Southern Shore is Africa, on her Eastern Shore is Asia, and to her west is an opening to the Atlantic Ocean. And this oh so narrow opening is directly aligned (Indian Jones music playing in the background) with America at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina!

An amazing political alignment is with presidents Johnson and Johnson. The first one, Andrew, from North Carolina became president after the assassination of Lincoln and had to lead America during the dreadfully painful Civil WarReconstruction Era. The last one, Lyndon, from Texas also became the big kahuna after the untimely exit of Kennedy and had to lead America during the bitterly divided Civil Rights Reconstruction Era.

Both Johnsons are considered poor presidents, but honestly I love them both. They may have had the most difficult jobs facing a president and neither had a map nor the guide book, 'How to Heal a Nation after Civil War or Integrate an Oppressed Minority for Dummies.' I think they both did a mighty fine job. They were keen Southern Gentlemen who did the best and followed their heart.

For a time North Carolina was the tallest state in the Union with Mt. Mitchell from 1790. It wasn't until that darn upstart Texas, that America had a new King of the Hill, with Guadeloupe Peak in 1845. But Texas only had the crown for 5 years until California entered in 1850 with Mt. Whitney. But since 1959 Alaska is King of Hill with Mt. Denali-McKinley.

However, both Texas and North Carolina retain indisputable titles. Texas is the Confederate King of Hill, she will always be remembered as the tallest state of the Confederacy. While North Carolina is the Original King of the Hill of the 13 Colonies!